


Time, Immemorial

by onuboon



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: A LOT of Angst, Angst, F/M, LOOK I LIKE MAKING MYSELF SUFFER
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-08-23 13:08:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20243383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onuboon/pseuds/onuboon
Summary: It was a long time, that Byleth wasn’t worried for the inevitable. When she could only think of building their future with Claude and living that future with him. It was a long time before Byleth had sleepless nights where they secretly cried herself to sleep. It took a long time for Byleth to realize just how short human life was.Spoilers for the GD route, Church route, and parts of Claude’s backstory.





	Time, Immemorial

It was in the middle of the year, the weather only slightly cloudy with the forecast of a warm and calm day. Byleth could hear the sounds of activity outside, the sounds of peace and prosperity between the people down below.

It has been a very long time since the fateful day where Byleth and Claude had taken each other’s hands and raised them in victory over Nemesis, the day they had won a new dawn for all of Fodlan- and for the lands beyond its borders. She remembered all the initial joyous gatherings and the bountiful feasts with everyone after the battle, and she remembered all the stressful dumpster fires that were the political dealings with the nobles of both Fodlan and Almyra after things had settled. It wasn’t that Byleth or Claude hadn’t been expecting the breaking down of prejudices that have been set in stone for hundreds of years to be easy, but it was still a process that lead to many sleepless nights for the both of them.

Still, after careful planning and execution thanks to Claude’s silver-lined tongue and Byleth’s reputation of being what was basically the next goddess to many Fodlans, their ambitions slowly but surely had come to fruition right before their eyes. People from both Fodlan and Almyra, crossing the throats to either nations with ease and greeting each other without the malice of prejudice in their eyes. A new bond between the two lands that were in the blood of Claude, and a place where Claude could finally, confidently, call home. 

After that, the two had set their sights on developing the already improving relations to the countless other lands before them- first Brigid, Albinea, and Sreng, then to Dagda and the elusive Morfis- it was quite honestly extremely hard to reach the lands that were so far away from their own, but Claude and Byleth never gave up. Their efforts were not in vain as Fodlan and Almyra both now held the blood of people from all over.

The two had gotten into their fair share of quarrels, and the two had long periods of time where they couldn’t see each other. But there were also a countless number of moments where the two would steal away in private, from all the political discourse and drama, to hold each other close and only see deep emerald eyes staring into bright, glowing green ones.  
.  
.  
.  
It was a long time, that Byleth wasn’t worried for the inevitable. When she could only think of building their future with Claude and living that future with him. It was a long time before Byleth had sleepless nights where they secretly cried herself to sleep. It took a long time for Byleth to realize just how short human life was.

Byleth was never quite sure of what exactly she was at this point; she had the heart of the Goddess Sothis in her own, yet her heart never beat as if it was actually alive. Was some part of her actually Sothis after seemingly merging with her all those years ago? Was she deserving of the title of the ‘New Goddess’ as some preached back in Fodlan? All that aside, there was one thing that Byleth was painstakingly made aware of as fact: her lifespan was now that of Rhea’s, Seteth’s, and even Flayn’s. One that let her live for centuries.

Claude had been through a lot of struggles in his lifetime. The countless injuries he has gotten over the years of battle aside- ever since he was young, he had mountains of stress dumped on him due to Claude being partially of Fodlan blood yet Almyran royalty, and he never knew when his life would be targeted. Stress was ingrained into his very bones, though over the years Claude had learned to hide it all under a carefully crafted smirk. That stress certainly never left him after becoming the king of Almyra; there was an incident where he was very nearly assassinated at a round table conference in the old territory of the Empire, likely from remnants of either those who slithered in the dark or simply those that hated the new changes Fodlan. 

Byleth could soon see the changes in Claude. The way he had to take a bit longer to get up out of his chair. The way that he had to squint to read fine print. The way he couldn’t heave Failnaught around him like he used to. Everything culminated at that moment when Claude had collapsed after a particularly strenuous journey back from Albinea, right after he and Byleth finally had a moment to themselves in their room. The way that his eyes couldn’t focus and the ragged breaths that left him gasping for air while Byleth screamed for help as she tried to help him up. 

Things only got worse. Claude had claimed he was fine after that, but both he and Byleth knew the gravity of the situation and he went on less expeditions to other lands. Byleth went on to try to find countless medicines and magics to help Claude, who tried to get her to slow down as she ran herself ragged trying to do so. It sadly resulted in less time they were actually together, with Byleth out and Claude staying back at the castle.

And here Byleth now was; kneeling down next to a bed with her vision blurred from the tears in her eyes. Eyes that were only trained on one thing, the love of her prolonged life, the man that she built a new world with.

Byleth couldn’t count how many times now she had activated her Divine Pulse, to rewind the last hour and plead, beg with Claude for one thing; to accept her blood. She knew it would have the same effect as when Rhea gave her blood to Jeralt; prolong his life greatly and allow Claude to stay with her. As she once again threw herself into a cloud of dizziness and inverted colors and found herself standing near the entrance to the room, Byleth knew. She knew this was the last time she could rewind. Her last chance.

She quickly ran over to Claude and knelt down next to him, tears already in her eyes. Claude slowly opened his, taking a moment to focus on Byleth. He let out a smile, reaching out to run his hand through her hair. “Hey now, what’s with all these tears for?”

Byleth couldn’t respond after hearing that line countless times now, and she anticipated what he was going to say next. “That look on your face… that’s your ‘I just used my time-rewinding powers’ face, isn’t it? Heh, yeah there’s no mistaking it.” Claude sat himself up after that, turning to face Byleth once more with a more serious look on him. “That also tells me what you’re going to say next, and the answer is no, Byleth.”

“But why?!” Byleth had been through this argument so many times, but every time it ended with Claude just dismissing the topic altogether. She couldn’t take it anymore. “Why, Claude, tell me why can’t you do this for yourself? Why can’t you just… do this for me?” She choked on tears and grasped at the sheets on his bed, burying her eyes in them to try and stop the tears. Byleth knew that he didn’t have long left.

Claude’s face fell after that, and he winced as he took a deep breath to explain why he made this decision. “Byleth, do you think living forever is truly something great? Something that humans should be able to have? I’m afraid I’m not one of those guys, at least not anymore.” He leaned back as he continued and Byleth stayed quiet, her face still in his sheets. “I thought about it as a kid, living forever. And honestly, it was something that I wished for; it was a way in my mind for it to be possible to achieve my crazy ambitions. I never thought it actually possible any other way… at least, until you walked into my life.” He turned to grin at Byleth. “All my dreams have turned into reality because of you, you know. Both sides of my blood can finally rest in peace without anyone calling me worthless for one of them. Everything I’ve ever dreamed for has come true. And I have no regrets.” He said that final line with an air of finality, hinting at what Byleth feared most.

“Please don’t leave me,” was all Byleth could manage to say. “I’m so scared, Claude.” Claude looked so weak, so fragile, and a hint of apprehension appeared on his face. “I’m scared too, Byleth. But you know what I’m scared of? Seeing what humans with too much power can do with said power. What I might become if I’m given the power to live for far too long. Remember that old geezer, Nemesis? How he had basically acquired the powers of the Goddess and went on a rampage because of it? Humans… people just aren’t meant to live for centuries, and neither am I.”

“But then… then you can’t trust me with continuing to go on, can you?” Byleth had lifted her face, now dry but still looking at Claude with such sadness that it made his chest twist in pain.

“No… no, you're the only one who I know for a fact I can put my trust in to keep on going. You’re the one that has exceeded all my expectations and predictions in the past, the one who always kept surprising me. I love you. I love you with everything that I am, and I won’t ever stop. So please. Byleth, promise me, please promise me that you’ll keep going. After all, who else is going to spread all the epic legends about me for years to come?” Claude tried to choke out a chuckle but only managed in making himself cough into his arm.

Byleth couldn’t help but gasp when he coughed. Because she heard that cough before, knew when he coughed then, he was going to start slipping away. She grabbed at a small knife hidden in her pocket then and went to slash at her palm to let blood run out, maybe she could still make it in time and give him- “Stop.” A powerful grip was on her arm holding the knife and Byleth soon dropped the weapon and slumped onto the floor. She felt as if the walls were closing in on her. This was going to end like all the other times she rewinded. Claude was going to die. He was going to die and he wasn’t going to be with her anymore. 

Claude, trying to hide how hard it was for him, moved to the edge of the bed to grasp her shoulder and have her look up at him. “Do you mind… talking with me a bit longer?” Byleth stared in shock when she saw a tear run down Claude’s face as he asked her that. This was new. She hadn’t been through this before.

He guided Byleth back on her feet and she moved to get on the bed to lie down next to him. And she talked. Throughout her whole life, this must have been the most she had ever gone on and on and on. It wasn’t even things that made sense for the most part- she talked about anything that came up in her mind, anything that wasn’t what she knew was happening while she spoke. How she had learned sword fighting from Jeralt. That one time she had found Claude snoozing in the library with a book literally on his face. Why she didn’t really like Noa Fruit anymore because of that one disaster. They were both turned on their sides, facing each other as they were on the bed. Byleth tried her best to remain looking into Claude’s eyes, eyes that refused to look anywhere that wasn’t her from the moment she lied down. But her vision staggered along with her voice as those emerald eyes started to slowly close and she heard Claude’s breathing slow. She took both of his hands in her own, squeezing them as hard as she could. Claude’s eyes slightly widened and he gave Byleth a smile that she has only ever seen before, one only for her. A smile that wasn’t any scheme or ruse, not one for any hidden purposes- a smile that was only filled with to the brim his love for Byleth.  
.  
.  
.  
Byleth stayed there for a long time, after those eyes had finally closed and silence filled the room. Staring at the face that could be mistaken for sleeping, someone who was having a good dream.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
Byleth wondered. Just how many centuries had passed since she was born? How many hundreds of years have passed since being in that grand five-year war? 

She got up to move over to the familiar stone-like throne and sat down. She hadn’t seen this tomb for a very long time. Memories of a young girl with wild green hair who sat on this very throne and started this all flooded into her mind, and she closed her eyes from the nostalgia. 

She assumed the pose that girl was always in when she was napping, leaning on her side and letting her head rest on the arm of the throne. Byleth always thought it to look extremely uncomfortable, but found herself extremely content in this position. In fact, her eyes were already closed and already felt herself getting more and more disconnected from the physical world around her. 

So many things have happened after that era in her life that was uniting Fodlan- which wasn’t even called Fodlan anymore- and breaking down the walls there to let in the new perspective of friendship and acceptance to rush in. Letting that perspective reach as far as Byleth could see, to as many places she could reach her hand out to. It’s been so long.

And now she finally knew she could rest. Already, she knew she was slipping. The heart of the Goddess in her own was finally going to rest as Sothis had all those years ago.  
.  
.  
.  
Something shook her shoulder. Byleth looked up with a start, confused at how anyone else could be here, in this tomb abandoned ages ago. Sitting straight up, she was stunned for a moment seeing as how she felt so revitalized and young- and though she found her vision somewhat cloudy and blurred, she knew that someone was in front of her. Someone was here, holding their hand out to them. 

A voice rang out. “Looks like you overslept. Pretty rude to keep a fella waiting like that, wouldn’t you say?”

Everything suddenly clicked into place then, and Byleth saw the face and smile of the man that she had longed to see for the past few centuries. Tears started flowing freely from her then, and her hand went up to cover her mouth. “Claude…”

Claude laughed, and it was a laugh full of joy. His face caught on a light coming from somewhere Byleth couldn’t pinpoint, and he looked as if he was both the gleaming moon and shimmering sun in that moment. “What’s with that surprised look, my love? You didn’t really think I’d stay away from you for that long, did you?”

She couldn’t help but laugh in return, as she rubbed at her eyes, but Byleth felt something suddenly stir in her chest. And then again. And again. A steady, and powerful beating coming from somewhere deep in her. It filled her with something she had never felt before, and she looked up again to Claude, who still had his hand out to her. 

“You’ve done enough, my love. Waaaaaaay too much for even me to even fathom, honestly. Now come on, lazybones. Everyone else is waiting with bated breath for you.”

Getting power she hadn’t felt in a long time to stand on her feet, Byleth reached her hand out to Claude’s.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all enjoyed!  
I have a lot, a LOT of ideas surrounding Claude for the future, partially due to his upbringing being so vague... which means I can shove all my ideas into it....  
(and sorry for deleting my previous fic, I just didn’t like it after a while lol)


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